#1

Member
Nashville, TN
Gents, has anyone come to market with a moderately priced razor that uses the GEM blade in un-modified form?
#2

Member
Detroit
There was the PAA Starling SE, but it had a few blade gap/alignment issues from what I saw on forum posts. It doesn't seem to be available anymore and I'm not sure it will make a comeback. Might be a good question for CaD314.
- Jeff
#3

Merchant
San Diego CA
(This post was last modified: 06-04-2018, 07:44 PM by Blackland Razors.)
I’m not sure our razors are moderately priced, but we have what is likely the best modern GEM razor on the market.

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#4

Merchant
Arizona, USA
(06-04-2018, 07:08 PM)wyze0ne Wrote: There was the PAA Starling SE, but it had a few blade gap/alignment issues from what I saw on forum posts. It doesn't seem to be available anymore and I'm not sure it will make a comeback. Might be a good question for CaD314.


The Starling is coming back soon bud! The original release, as mentioned on the sales page, was an effort to crowd source the community for future base plates with the feedback received! The original plates were both loved and hated, very polarizing...soooo depending which forum you read the review in you either got yay or nay.

Two new base plates are currently in production and almost done, and I am excited to report, one is an open comb! We also have a couple other new razors coming soon too so be prepared my friend!

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“Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were. But without it we go nowhere.” ~ Carl Sagan
#5

Member
Cyprus
What Shane said.

beisler likes this post
#6
I have not tried the PAA Starling but I have plans to purchase one in the next release.

I do have the Blackland Sabre in both L1, L2. Outstanding razor in my opinion. I own a large collection of vintage GEMs and the Sabre is better than all of them. If you keep an eye on the BST (Buy/Sell/Trade) pages you may find one for the price you are looking for.

HighSpeed likes this post
#7

Member
Nashville, TN
Thanks for all the input.  I'm about to start blogging and was thinking about an article for those truly wanting to reduce shaving cost, such as those living on fixed income.  

I went and checked out the Blackland Sabre and am very impressed by several things:
  • The pricing is very fair for a machined stainless razor made in the USA.
  • I know more about steel used for cutting edges than for applications like this.  Having said that, it looks like they chose the right steel for the application.  Many are familiar with another company that made premium razors.  They didn't select the right steel for the job and the razor would break if dropped, which wasn't covered by warranty.
  • Being made in Illinois and finished in OH means a lot to me.  As a country, we are moving towards a society with rich and poor and not much in the middle. US manufacturing creates jobs for the middle.
  • Further, I believe a country's ability to manufacture is important for security reasons.  One of the reasons the Nazi military was so effective in the early years of WW2 is because they were the manufacturing shop for all of Europe.

I look forward to seeing the next version of PAA's Starling.

wyze0ne, Blackland Razors and CaD314 like this post
#8

Merchant
San Diego CA
(06-05-2018, 01:18 AM)Pete123 Wrote: Thanks for all the input.  I'm about to start blogging and was thinking about an article for those truly wanting to reduce shaving cost, such as those living on fixed income.  

I went and checked out the Blackland Sabre and am very impressed by several things:
  • The pricing is very fair for a machined stainless razor made in the USA.
  • I know more about steel used for cutting edges than for applications like this.  Having said that, it looks like they chose the right steel for the application.  Many are familiar with another company that made premium razors.  They didn't select the right steel for the job and the razor would break if dropped, which wasn't covered by warranty.
  • Being made in Illinois and finished in OH means a lot to me.  As a country, we are moving towards a society with rich and poor and not much in the middle. US manufacturing creates jobs for the middle.
  • Further, I believe a country's ability to manufacture is important for security reasons.  One of the reasons the Nazi military was so effective in the early years of WW2 is because they were the manufacturing shop for all of Europe.

I look forward to seeing the next version of PAA's Starling.

Thanks for the comments! I agree on all fronts. We also use custom USA-made packaging and offer a 30-day return policy. There are a lot of great razors and razor makers out there. It’s tough to go wrong with most of them and I’m happy to see great products and service becoming the standard in this market.

kypros and CaD314 like this post
#9
(06-04-2018, 08:40 PM)CaD314 Wrote:
(06-04-2018, 07:08 PM)wyze0ne Wrote: There was the PAA Starling SE, but it had a few blade gap/alignment issues from what I saw on forum posts. It doesn't seem to be available anymore and I'm not sure it will make a comeback. Might be a good question for CaD314.


The Starling is coming back soon bud! The original release, as mentioned on the sales page, was an effort to crowd source the community for future base plates with the feedback received! The original plates were both loved and hated, very polarizing...soooo depending which forum you read the review in you either got yay or nay.

Two new base plates are currently in production and almost done, and I am excited to report, one is an open comb! We also have a couple other new razors coming soon too so be prepared my friend!
I cant remember for the life of me but people were posting pictures of the issues, was it regarding the blade not resting on the blade stops? How are the new plates, did you change up few things and got the issues resolved or you think the reported issues were people over reacting?
#10

Merchant
Arizona, USA
[/quote]
I cant remember for the life of me but people were posting pictures of the issues, was it regarding the blade not resting on the blade stops? How are the new plates, did you change up few things and got the issues resolved or you think the reported issues were people over reacting?
[/quote]

I think it was a little of both. But as I mentioned above, we were relying on the community for feedback, which it provided. All that went into the development of the new base plates. The original base plates had a "floating head" which didn't gel with everyone, and that's cool. But I think the new bases will really get folks stoked! Smile

Blagoja Rajevski likes this post
“Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were. But without it we go nowhere.” ~ Carl Sagan


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